Automatic chair plugs and button machine



S. J. C. DESPRES 5 e I. ill Ill r e m E T wm m e b q 0 mm U. 5 A ER. \N m AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND BUTTON MACHINE Aug. 23, 1955 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 Aug. 23, 1955 s. J. c. DESPRES 2,715,923

AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND BUTTON MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Sfan/s/as J C. Despres ffomex Aug. 23, 1955 5. J. c. DESPRES AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND BUTTON MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 13, 1953 INVENTO Sfan/s/os J. C. De

spres Aug. 23, 1955 s. J. c. DESPRES AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND BUTTON MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 13, 1953 INVENTOR.

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Aug. 23, 1955 5. J. c. DESPRES AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND BUTTON MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

Sfams/as J C Despres United States Patent AUTOMATIC CHAIR PLUGS AND EUTTON MACHENE Stanislas J. C. Despres, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application August 13, 1953, Serial No. 374,063

9 laims. (Cl. 14443) The present invention is concerned with an automatic woodworking machine by means of which lengths of dowel rods may be cut into relatively thin buttons or plugs, the machine having feeding means included therein by means of which said buttons may be varied in length. Also the outer side of each button is machined to a desired form, ordinarily of a curved or arcuate nature, and the sides of the buttons are machined to size. Such buttons have many uses in the woodworking field and with my invention a large quantity production thereof is attained economically.

An undertaking of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figs. la and lb are plan views of what may be termed the rear and front portions of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a front end elevation.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially on the plane of line 55 of Fig. 1b.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the plane of line 66 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the plane of line 77 of Fig. lb.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In the construction of the machine, an elongated bed casting of rectangular form is provided having long parallel spaced sides 1 and short ends 2, all being integrally cast with downwardly extending corner supporting legs 3.

At the upper side of each of the sides 1 of the bed frame a flat plate 4 of metal is secured which extends from the rear end of the machine toward but a short distance from the front end thereof. An elongated shaft is rotatably mounted adjacent its ends on rear and front bearings 6 and 7, respectively, which are secured to the rear and front ends of the frame (Figs. 2 and 5). At its rear end, shaft 5 is supplied with a gear 8 which meshes with a pinion 9 at the rear end of a shaft 10 located below the rear portion of the shaft 5 and mounted at its inner 5 end in a bearing 10a (Fig. la) supported on a cross bar secured to the sides 1 of the bed frame. Such shaft 5 has a driven pulley 11 thereon, belt driven by a belt 12 by a driving pulley 13 at one end of a driven shaft 14 which is rotatably mounted on and extends through bearings on brackets 15 extending outwardly at a side of the frame as shown in Figs. 1a and 3. The shaft 14 is driven by a belt passing around a pulley 16 thereon, the belt leading to line shafting. Of course the drive of the shaft 5 at a slow speed of rotation may be accomplished in other ways, as by an electric motor and reduction gearing, or the like.

The shaft 10 is divided between its ends and a manually operable clutch 17 operated by a hand crank 18 (Fig. 3) is used for connecting and disconnecting the clutch, one part of the clutch being associated with the pulley 11 (Fig. la) toward the forward end of shaft 5 (Fig. 5). A sprocket wheel 19 is fixed on shaft 5 which drives an endless chain 21 around two spaced sprocket wheels 22 and 23 (Fig. 7) on spaced shafts 24 and 25. The upper run of the chain passes underneath an idler (Fig. 5). The two shafts 24 and 25 are located at opposite sides of the front portion of the machine. The shaft 24 which carries the sprocket wheel 22 is mounted in journals 26 at the upper end of brackets'fixed to the adjacent side of the frame. Shaft 24 at its front end carries a cam 27 (Figs. 1b and 4).

Shaft 25 at the opposite side of the machine is rotatably mounted in journals 23 and at its front end carries a cam 29. The journals 28 are at the upper corners of a vertical plate 30 (Figs. 4 and 5) bolted to the front end 2 of the frame.

A shaft 31 is flatted at both sides at its front end for wrench application thereto, and between its ends is enlarged as at 32, the section 32 of the shaft providing an eccentric which is mounted upon and extends through a bearing 33 between the ends of a generally vertical bar, the inner or rear end of the shaft 31 having a secure mounting upon the plate 34). Such bar has a downwardly extending arm 34 and an upwardly extending arm 35' below and above the bearing at 33. The upper arm 35 passes between two adjusting set screws 36 threaded through brackets 36a on the plate 30, the inner ends of said screws being located at opposite sides of the arm 35. It is evident that the arm may be adjusted within the limits of operation of said screws 36. The upper end 1 of the arm 35 is provided with a seat or saddle on which a carriage 38 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement. On the carriage a woodworking cutting tool 39' is releasably secured, at its cutting end extending toward the center of the machine and at the outer lower portion of the carriage 38 a roller 40 is mounted which bears against cam 29. A coiled tension spring is attached at one end to the post which mounts the tool 39 and at its opposite end to a bar 42 (Fig. 4) secured to plate 30, said spring under tension acting to force the roller 40 with yielding pressure against cam 29. It is apparent that by adjusting the shaft 31, the tool 39 and the carriage and other parts which carry it may be vertically adjusted short distances.

A stud 43 on plate 39 is spaced from the shaft 31 on which a lever having a downwardly extending arm 44 is mounted for rocking movement. A coiled tension spring 45 connects the lower ends of arms 34 and 44. Such lever also has an upwardly extending arm 46 in vertical alignment with arm 44 on which a yoke 47 for carrying a roller 48 is adjustably mounted, the roller 48 being adjusted against the cam 47.

At the upper end of the arm 46 two spaced bearings 49 (Fig. lb) are provided through which a horizontal shaft St) passes driven by a line shaft belt passing around a pulley 51 on the shaft between said bearings. At its rear or inner end a circular cutting saw 52 is secured to the shaft 50.

On driving the shafts 24 and 25 from the main shaft 5 it is evident that with each rotation of said shafts 24 and 25 which turn at the same speed, sprocket wheels 19, 22 and 23 having the same pitch diameter, the tool 39 is moved inwardly and retracted while the saw 52 is also moved inwardly and retracted through the action of the cams 27 and 29.

Back of the plate 30 and above the front end of the bed frame a supporting casting 53 (Fig. 5) is secured in place. Two journals 54 spaced from each other are secured to and extend upwardly from the support 53. A shaft 55 extends horizontally through said journals 54 and has a pulley 55 substantially midway between its ends which is belt driven from any suitable line shafting. The shaft is hollow and has a collet 57 projecting beyond its front end which is movable with a second shaft 58, having an axial opening therethrough, within the shaft and which is normally movable lengthwise to the rear under the influence of a compression spring located between the journal at 54 and a collar 59 on the shaft 58. The elongated dowel rod 61 of uniform diameter, from which the buttons are made, extends through the shaft 58 and the collet 57, spring 60 normally moving the collet so as to grip and hold the dowel rod 61 which will rotate with the shaft 55 at high speed. the machine the dowel rod 61 is moved a predetermined distance forwardly once with each rotation of the shaft 5.

A carriage 62 is mounted lengthwise of the machine upon the plates 4 (Figs. 5 and 6). It has upwardly extending ends 63 and 64 at the upper side of which is a fixture 65 of flat-metal which extends between the ends 63 and 64 and is connected thereto. The fixture 65 has an upwardly extending guide 66 within which are babbitt members 67, spaced from each other, through which a generally square rod or bar 68 extends, the bar 68 at its front end has a guide support 69 permanently secured therewith having an opening through which the dowel rod 61 passes. The rod 61 at its rear end is received in a socket 70, rotatably mounted by suitable antifriction thrust bearings on a base 71, secured at the 2..

front side of a support 64. The bar 68 and dowel rod support and guide carried thereby serve to support the dowel rod 61 between its ends (Fig. 2) when it is placed in the machine and during the time that its length is such that it might be subject to vibration. the bar 68 may be manually pushed through the babbitt carriers 67 therefor so that when a new, elongated rod 61 is to be put in place, it may be moved (Fig. 2) suificiently to the right that it will carry and support such dowel rod at its front end in alignment with the preceding dowel rod which has been and is being processed.

At the lower portion of the member 64 (Fig. 5) a shoe 72 is secured or cast integral, slotted at its upper portion and through the slots of which a feed gauge bar 73 passes. Such bar 73 is connected to a block 74 at its front end (Figs. 1b and 5) which has two spaced rods 75 extending therefrom extending through the casting 53 and through guide sleeves 76 which pass through such casting.

The feed gauge carrying bar 73 is slotted at its intermediate portion at its upper side for the major portion of its length. In the slot a ratchet bar 77 is releasably held. Such bar 77 at its upper end is provided with a plurality of consecutive ratchet teeth 78. The distance apart of said teeth is different on different bars and such distance apart of the teeth, or the length of one tooth, gauges the distance that the dowel rod 61 will be periodically fed forward for the successive cutting of buttons therefrom.

A dog 79 is pivotally mounted on the shoe 72 above the ratchet bar, one end thereof normally engaging with the teeth 78 so that with each reciprocatory movement of the bar 73 which takes place, once with each rotation of the shaft 5, the carriage 62 and the parts connected therewith is moved forward a distance equal to the length of the tooth 78 with a corresponding movement of the dowel rod 68 in the same direction.

A manually operable rod 80 is mounted immediately at the forward end of the dog 79 (Fig. 5) and may be rocked by handle 81 at an end thereof. A pin 82 on rod 81 lies above the'adjacent end of the dog 79 so that by rocking the rod or shaft 82 in a counterclockwise direction dog 79 may be lifted from engagement with the ratchet teeth 78. The bar 73 at its rear end portion extends through aguide 83 therefor secured to and extending above the bed frame of the machine. A collar 84 is secured to the bar 73 in front of the guide 83 between which and the collar is a disk 85 of rubber or other shock lessening material. Coiled springs 86 secured at one end to the bar 73 and at the other end to In the operation of .1,

It is evident that the frame of the machine normally. hold bar 73 in on return it to rearposition.

A cam 87 is on the shaft 5 against which a cam follower 88 on the bar 73 bears. Thus with each rotation of the shaft 5, bar 73 is moved forward a distance governed by the cam 87 (Fig. la) and is returned by the springs 86 thus moving the dowel rod 61 forward a predetermined distance governed by the length of the ratchet teeth 78. Such forward feed of the dowel rod takes place with the cutting tool 39 and saw 51 substantially in the position shown in Fig. 4, that is, separated from each other to their maximum extent. Upon continuation of rotation of the shaft 5 which drives the shafts 24 and 25, cam 29 will first move the cutting tool across the projecting end of the dowel rod, machining it at such end to desired form and also preferably dressing the side of the rod. After the tool has returned to its initial position, shown in Fig. 4, cam 27 moves the saw 25 across the dowel, rod to cut the button which has been machined by the tool 39 from the rod.

It is evident that with each rotation of shaft 5 a completed button is provided. Of course the thickness of the button may be varied by using different bars with difierent ratchet teeth 78. The end of the rod produced by the tool 39 may be varied in accordance with the design of the tool.

The invention in practical use has proved exceptionally durable and with it high quantity production is obtained.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, an elongated supporting frame, a horizontal elongated shaft rotatably mounted thereon, means for driving said shaft at uniform speed of rotation, a horizontal, rotatably mounted dowel rod guide through which an elongated dowel rod is longitudinally movable, means driven by said shaft for periodically moving said rod a predetermined distance through said guide, rod gripping means mounted on and rotatable with said guide through which said rod passes, permitting longitudinal movement of the rod by said rod moving means and gripping said rod between movements, means for machining the projecting end of the rod mounted for movement toward and away from the rod, means driven by said shaft for moving said rod end machining means toward the end of the, rod after said rod has been longitudinally moved, means for severing the machined end portion of the .rod, mounted for movement toward and across and back from said rod, and means driven by said shaft for moving said severing means toward and across said rod after its end portion has been machined, and before the next suc-v ceeding longitudinal moving of said rod.

2. In a machine of the class described, a supported horizontal elongated shaft, means for rotatably driving moving said tool toward the rod and away therefrom,

means for periodically moving the saw across the 'rod and away therefrom after the tool is withdrawn, said movements occurring once with each rotation of the shaft, and shaft actuated means for moving the dowel rod longitudinally a predetermined distance with each rotation of the shaft, timed to occur when both said tool and saw are away from said dowel rod.

3. In a machine of the class described, an elongated supporting frame, an elongated horizontal shaft rotatably mounted thereon, parallel to the length of said frame,

means for continuously driving said shaft at uniform speed of rotation, a carriage mounted on said frame for movement lengthwise thereof, a horizontal dowel rod guide mounted on said frame adjacent one end thereof having a longitudinal passage therethrough, a socket means on said carriage adapted to receive one end portion of a dowel rod, said socket means being in axial alignment with said passage through the rod guide, means for moving said carriage a predetermined distance in a direction toward said rod guide, and means driven by said shaft once with each rotation thereof for actuating said carriage moving means in the direction mentioned.

4. In a machine as described, an elongated horizontal support, an elongated horizontal shaft rotatably mounted thereon, means for driving said shaft continuously at uniform speed, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame for movement lengthwise thereof, a bar paralleling said shaft mounted for reciprocatory longitudinal movements, said bar extending through said carriage, interengaging means on said bar and carriage for moving said carriage by said bar in one direction of movement of the bar, interengaging means on the bar and shaft for moving said bar once with each rotation of said shaft in said direction, and spring means for moving said bar in the opposite direction when free to do so.

5. Structure having the elements in combination defined in claim 4, said interengaging means on said bar and shaft comprising, a cam connected to said shaft and movable rotatively therewith, and a cam follower on said bar held against said cam by said spring means.

6. Structure having the elements in combination defined in claim 4, said interengaging means on said bar and carriage comprising, a successive series of ratchet teeth carried by said bar, and a pivoted dog on said carriage engaged by a ratchet tooth in one direction of movement of the bar, said dog riding over the teeth upon movement of said bar in the opposite direction.

7. Structure having the elements in combination defined in claim 6, said ratchet teeth being at a longitudinal edge of a ratchet bar, and said first bar having an elongated slot into which the ratchet bar is inserted and removably held.

8. In a machine as described, an elongated support, an elongated, horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on said support, parallel to the length thereof, means for driving said shaft at continuous uniform speed, a carriage on said support mounted for slidable movement lengthwise thereof, a bar parallel to said shaft slidably extending through the carriage, cam and cam follower means on the shaft and bar for moving said bar longitudinally in one direction with each rotation of the shaft, ratchet and ratchet dog engaging means on the bar and carriage for moving said carriage in the same direction as the bar when said bar is cam actuated and moved, yielding means connected to said bar for returning it to initial position, said ratchet means and dog being inoperative on said return of the bar, a rotatable socket at one end of said carriage adapted to receive one end of an elongated dowel rod, and a guide support movably mounted on said carriage having a member with an opening therethrough aligned with and spaced from said socket.

9. Structure having the elements in combination defined in claim 8, said guide support comprising an additional bar slidably mounted on the support above and parallel to the first mentioned bar, said dowel rod guide support being secured to and depending from an end of said additional bar in spaced relation to said socket, said guide support having a dowel rod opening therethrough axially aligned with said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,817 Ensign Sept. 11, 1900 1,096,718 Hoif May 12, 1914 1,705,185 Greene Mar. 12, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 590,354 France Mar. 16, 1925 

